Program Office: 403.320.3310 • trg@lethbridgecollege.ca
Centre for Health and Wellness Placement Office: 403.320.3202 Ext. 5380

Build your assessment skills and develop the ability to plan therapeutic programs for people with an illness or disabling condition. With a diploma in Therapeutic Recreation-Gerontology (TRG), you promote the use of recreation and leisure as treatment modalities to support purposeful and meaningful interventions. This two-year program combines foundational knowledge with hands-on practice to provide you with the fundamentals of therapeutic recreation with a specialization in gerontology. 

The TRG program teaches you how to use leisure and recreation to facilitate optimal health and wellness for individuals with illnesses or disabling conditions. Through theory classes, skills labs and practice in the field, you will learn to assess, plan, implement, evaluate and deliver therapeutic recreation services including functional intervention, leisure education and recreation participation. 

Your Investment

Program fees will vary. To view fee information for your program, go to www.lethbridgecollege.ca/programs and select your program.

Graduation

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, students are awarded a Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology diploma.

New applicants for both the campus based and on-line learning cohorts are admitted into the Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology program in the Fall (September) term. 

General Admissions Requirements

All applicants must meet the general admission requirements for Lethbridge College programs, as indicated in the Admission section of this calendar.

Academic Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements indicated in the Admission section of this calendar, applicants to this program must also satisfy the following specific course requirements (or equivalencies):

• 60 percent minimum in English Language Arts (ELA) 30-1 or 70 percent in ELA 30-2
• Grade 12 Biology

English Language Proficiency Requirements for Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology Program

In addition to the academic requirements, if English is not your first language, English Language Proficiency (ELP) must be demonstrated within the last two (2) years prior to the application. Acceptable evidence of ELP may be one of the following:

•   IELTS Academic with a minimum band score of 6.5 in speaking, 6.5 in listening, 6.0 in reading, and 6.5 in writing

•   TOEFL Internet-based test score with a minimum score of 22 in speaking, 23 in listening, 21 in reading, and 25 in writing

•   Transcripts demonstrating successful completion of three (3) years of full-time secondary education at a school where English was the principal language of instruction

•   Transcripts demonstrating successful completion of one (1) year of full-time post-secondary education at a school where English was the principal language of instruction

Note: Meeting the English Language Proficiency requirement does NOT exempt the applicant from meeting the English academic admission requirement for entry to this program.

Please refer to the online Academic Timetable for course availability.

Important Note(s):

Online Learning students are responsible for any fees for service by an off-site exam proctor.

All "TRG" specific courses within the Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology diploma MUST be completed within 6 years of the first TRG course taken.  However, the support courses (i.e. SOC, PSY) have a 10 year completion date.

Students must complete the two practicums on a full-time basis. Due to the limited availability of practicum sites, students may be required to relocate from their home community to complete the practicum placements.

Online learning students must consult with the program chair or the practicum coordinator prior to registering for their practicums. Online Learning students wanting to enroll in either TRG-1199 Practicum I (3 credits) or TRG-2299 Advanced Practicum II (6 credits) must register prior to September 1st for the winter term placement and January 1st for a spring/summer term placement.

It is not recommended that Online Learning students register in more than 2 theory courses and practicum concurrently. Contact the TRG program chair to develop a plan.

Online Learning students who reside outside of Alberta must be aware they may not be covered under Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) insurance coverage when participating in practicums outside of Alberta.

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Pre-Placement Requirements

This program has a required Work-Integrated Learning Pre-Placement Requirements (WIL) component. The College dictates the legal terms and conditions governing the WIL.

Students must meet and maintain certain requirements to participate in the WIL setting as determined by programs, practice agencies and/or legislated by government bodies. These may include health (e.g. immunizations, screening tests, etc.), privacy and security (e.g. police information check, IT access, etc.), and OH&S requirements (e.g. CPR certification, Fire Safety, WHMIS, Mask Fit-testing, etc.).

Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) coverage - WIL placement agencies and employers usually require WCB coverage on behalf of the student.  Students enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Alberta are deemed to be employees of the Province of Alberta and, as such, provided WCB coverage.  In certain instances for students outside of Alberta, WCB coverage may not be provided (e.g. non-Alberta residents taking a course solely through distance learning with a WIL placement outside of Alberta).  These students are advised to contact the program prior to application.

Students with disabilities who may require accommodations must schedule an appointment with Accessibility Services at Lethbridge College preferably upon acceptance to the program and no later than the Add/Drop deadline to identify potential impacts of their disabilities in the WIL setting. As part of this process, it may be necessary to collaborate with WIL supervisors to determine appropriate accommodations that do not compromise the health and safety of clients, essential placement requirements, or mandatory licensing processes. Failure to consult with Accessibility Services in a timely fashion may compromise the student's WIL placement and opportunities for success in the WIL setting.

In order to participate in a WIL, a student may be required to complete a Police Information Check or other type of Security Clearance to the satisfaction of Lethbridge College and the WIL organization. Completion of a WIL does not guarantee employment with a WIL organization. Many disciplines are provincially or otherwise regulated (e.g. health professions under Alberta's Health Professions Act); such regulation is beyond Lethbridge College's control. Completion of a WIL and graduation from a certain program do not guarantee one's licensure or admission into a regulatory body. Prospective students are encouraged to consult with a representative of the relevant regulatory body if they have concerns.

WIL sites may include Lethbridge, surrounding rural communities, and may extend beyond these boundaries depending on WIL site availability and approvals.   WIL’s may include day, evening, and/or weekend schedules. Students will be expected to travel to assigned sites and will be responsible for arranging travel and any associated costs.

Athabasca University

Graduates of Lethbridge College's Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology diploma program are eligible to receive 60 credits towards Athabasca University's 120-credit Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services program or 30 credits towards a number of Athabasca University's post-diploma bachelor's degrees in Human Resources/Labour Relations, Management, and Commerce. To explore options, please visit https://www.athabascau.ca/

Griffith University

Graduates of Lethbridge College's Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology diploma program are eligible to receive transfer credit towards the completion of a Bachelor of Human Services at Griffith University, in Australia. For more information, please visit https://www.griffith.edu.au/credit

Thompson Rivers University

Graduates of Lethbridge College's Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology diploma program are eligible to receive up to 57 transfer credits towards Thompson Rivers University's Bachelor of Health Science or up to 60 transfer credits towards Thompson Rivers University's Bachelor of General Studies.

University of Calgary

Graduates of Lethbridge College's Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology diploma program are eligible to receive 60 credits towards the University of Calgary's 120-credit Bachelor of Community Rehabilitation program.

University of Lethbridge

Your diploma in Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology will prepare you to work in many settings, including:

• Community-based programs
• Group homes
• Hospitals
• Lodges
• Long term care
• Mental health programs
• Rehabilitation programs
• Seniors day programs
• Senior centers
• Supportive living